News from Ireland - news from around the 32 counties

The Civil Defence has been called in to provide emergency cover at a number of schools throughout the county as school wardens have fallen victim to the influenza virus that has been rampant over the holiday period.

Kildare Road Safety Officer Declan Keogh said every effort is being made to have cover in as many places as possible but up to 10 schools may not have a full service over the last two weeks.

“But it is not as simple as putting a lay person out onto the road to direct traffic and school children across the road, because of implications such as insurance, legislation and training,” he said.
[Source: Kildare Nationalist]

KILKENNY

Kilkenny People journalist Tess Felder is returning home to the good old U.S. of A and taking up a senior management post at the New York Times.

Ms. Felder, who has worked with the Kilkenny People as a senior journalist for seven years, takes a new path on her career as she returns to her home state of Florida to become a leading editor in the production of one of the world’s top newspaper titles.

Her popularity with the people of Kilkenny – particularly among the arts community, local councilors and the business world – means that she will be sorely missed by the newspaper and her colleagues.
[Source: Kilkenny People]

LAOIS

A three-month-old lurcher puppy is in recovery after being found with his throat slashed in Portlaoise. The puppy, who was named Taylor, was found trapped between two high walls with his throat slashed several times from ear to ear near a housing estate in Portlaoise.

It is still unknown if Taylor will make a full recovery; however, Lorraine McEvoy from Cara Resue said that he is looking very bright since his operation.

Cara Rescue, a volunteer-run not-for-profit animal charity based in Portlaoise, responded to a phone call on Friday afternoon, January 4, about the dog trapped between the walls. They took him to Vetcare in Portlaoise where, on initial examination, it appeared his injuries were too severe to treat, with so many muscles severed.

However, his major throat artery, the jugular, was possibly the only thing the culprits had not managed to cut, so he was treated for shock, dehydration, pain and infection overnight and was operated on the following morning.
[Source: Leinster Express]

LEITRIM

The body of a man in his late 20s was removed from Ballinamore Shannon Erne Canal on Tuesday afternoon, January 8, following a local search.

Eugene McDermott (27), originally from Dromahair, had not been seen since the early hours of Monday, January 7. Locals were searching the area Monday night for the man who just became a father in October last year. The search intensified with Gardaí (police) and Civil Defence joining locals at 9 a.m. on Tuesday morning.

The Civil Defence and around 50 locals took to the area around Ballinamore, searching vacant buildings, yards, walkways, and around the town’s canal for clues of Mr. McDermott’s last movements. Gardaí studied C.C.T.V. cameras in the town and traced his movements out towards the Golf Links Roads.
[Source: Leitrim Observer]

LIMERICK

The Continuity I.R.A. (C.I.R.A.) has delivered a chilling message to Limerick men who are considering joining the British Army that it considers them a “legitimate target.”

During a Republican Sinn Fein commemoration of Sean South, on Sunday, January 6, a message was read on behalf of C.I.R.A. prisoners at Portlaoise Prison.

“We have seen in recent years in the city of Limerick that Irish men are considering a career in the British Army – the same British Army that holds six of our counties,” read the statement, which was delivered at the Republican Plot at Mount Saint Lawrence Cemetery.
[Source: Limerick Leader]
LONGFORD

The widow of John “Frog” Ward, who shot dead by Padraig Nally two years ago, has married a 24-year-old man from Ghana. The couple married in the Longford registry office two weeks ago.

Ms. Ward has been living in Longford in recent months with six of her 11 children and her new husband. Her husband, Adam Abakker, has been living as a refugee in Longford for the past three years, but now that he is married, he is free to stay in Ireland indefinitely.

Marie Ward left Galway after the death of her husband and is said to be "very happy". Padraig Nally has been released from jail pending a retrial of the case. The Ward family have said that they are "very traumatized" by the decision to release Mr. Nally.
[Source: Longford Leader]

LOUTH

Officers from Revenue and Customs and armed Gardaí (police) stormed a drug-den in Dundalk and have recovered 126 grams of “coke.”

As part of an intelligence-led, joint operation between Revenue’s Customs Service and An Garda Síochána, 126 grams of cocaine with an estimated street value of approximately $11,600 was seized at an address in Dundalk, County Louth.